New Church Development Strategies

In the early decades of the 21st century, United Methodists will use a variety of strategies and tactics for planning new congregations in the United States. In this document, you will find several of the most common strategies used within our denomination. We have ordered these from most to least pervasive, along with some benefits, challenges, and tempting shortcuts associated with each.

Please note that this is not intended to be an exhaustive list and that United Methodists will likely plant hundreds of new churches by intentionally blending two or more of the strategies. Lay or clergy planters serving full-time or in bi-vocational assignments could lead each of the included strategies. Depending on the planting context any strategy could be right for almost any people group.

Download Church Development Strategies (PDF)